


Snow-White and Rose-Red

by t_dragon



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: F/F, Female Byun Baekhyun, Female Do Kyungsoo | D.O, Forced Marriage, Kidnapping, Knight Park Chanyeol, Prince Kim Jongin | Kai, Snow-white and Rose-red Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-02-12 23:06:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21484324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/t_dragon/pseuds/t_dragon
Summary: When Snow-White gets kidnapped by a bear, it is up to Rose-Red to save her
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Do Kyungsoo | D.O
Comments: 5
Kudos: 39
Collections: ExOnce Upon A Time: Round II





	Snow-White and Rose-Red

**Author's Note:**

> Partially inspired by the song and MV for Blackbriar's "Snow White and Rose Red"

Once upon a time in a land far away, two little girls were born half a year apart.

During the summer, Baekhye was born, cheeks dusted with rose red and smile shining brightly like the sun against an azure sky.

During the winter, Kyungeun was born, with skin the shade of white snow and a smile just as warm as the hearth during icy cold nights.

Some might say that being opposites did not make good friends, since like attracts like, but Baekhye and Kyungeun seemed determined to prove this wrong. From the very moment they met, the two girls became attached to each other. Baekhye would follow wherever Kyungeun went, and Kyungeun would always notice as soon as Baekhye no longer was close.

Blessed with beauty since their birth, the two girls did not lack admirers. And children were not always the most graceful in showing their admiration, but it did not take long before Baekhye and Kyungeun were graced by their very own knight in shining armor.

Chanyeol was a few years older than the girls, still so very young but with rather large dreams and aspirations that seemed to come in handy as he made sure to protect the two girls from whoever might want to pull on their hair or even try to kiss them on their cheeks. And so it went from Baekhye and Kyungeun being inseparable, to Baekhye, Kyungeun and Chanyeol barely ever being seen apart.

“I’m going to become a knight and protect pretty ladies all day long!” Chanyeol so very proudly exclaimed whenever anyone asked why he took it upon himself to make sure no one bothered Baekhye and Kyungeun. “So I need to start practicing already!”

And practice Chanyeol did, with Baekhye and Kyungeun never having to fear anything. Apart from the reprimands of their parents, of course, because not even young knight Chanyeol could fight them.

  
  


˚̩͙⚛ ͙*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛ ͙*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛ ͙*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛ ͙*̩̩̥

  
  


The years slowly went past and the children grew up. Chanyeol began to disappear for long periods every now and then, beginning his dream of becoming a knight, bringing back wild stories every time he returned, while Baekhye and Kyungeun continued their steady, comfortable lives in the village. They both enjoyed Chanyeol’s tales, but neither wished for any adventures beyond each other.

And as they reached fourteen years of age, their explorations turned from the lands around the village to one another.

Baekhye had always been zealous in her declarations of Kyungeun as her own, while Kyungeun had been more silent yet still as obvious in her belief of Baekhye belonging to her. But it had always been in a rather childish way, like how one would cling to their favorite toy - until they reached the point where childhood started to transform into adulthood, and old feelings gained new connotations.

Unfortunately, it was as spring burst into bloom with Baekhye and Kyungeun’s feelings alongside it, that even more change came - and this change was so incredibly unwelcome.

Baekhye had been helping her mother wash and on the way back from the river when she noticed the villagers gathering. Curious about what was going on, she had put the basket with wet clothing by her family’s house, ignoring her mother’s annoyed calls to instead investigate.

As she got nearer, Baekhye could make out royal guards in the masses, and upset voices calling out. A horrible feeling settled into her heart, a feeling Baekhye did not quite understand, but she knew she needed to get closer still. Speeding up, Baekhye was almost running by the time her heart stopped due to the panicked cry that she just  _ knew _ would haunt her forever.

“ _ Baekhye! _ ”

“Kyungeun!” Baekhye screamed, trying to force her way through the masses being restrained by guards. “ _ Kyungeun! _ ”

As Baekhye finally managed to get through, she found Kyungeun with her hands bound and hoisted into the waiting arms of a man seated on a horse. Throwing herself forwards, not quite knowing what she was going to do but needing to do something, Baekhye did not get far before a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her waist and held her back.

“No, let me go!” Baekhye yelled, kicking and screaming to try to get away. “Let me go!”

“Stop fighting, little Rosie, you won’t be able to do anything anyway!” Baekhye’s captor hissed into her ear, and she stilled as she recognized the voice.

“Ch-Chanyeol, I n-need to-” Baekhye tried to get out, but it was hard to get the words past the sobs starting to take over.

“You can’t, okay? You  _ can’t _ ,” Chanyeol said, voice insistent,  _ willing _ her to listen. “And I’m not going to let you kill yourself trying! We’ll find some way, I promise you, but not like this!”

Breaths falling heavy from her lips, Baekhye allowed Chanyeol to speak sense into her, to try to calm her down, make her see reason. She was  _ not _ going to abandon Kyungeun, but she knew she unfortunately had to admit that she would have no chance if she tried to go up against all of the soldiers right now.

Yes, waiting would be better… Waiting and planning, biding time until the moment became right and Baekhye would be able to strike. She  _ was _ going to save Kyungeun, and no one would be able to stay in her way in the end.

“You won’t get away with this!” Baekhye yelled, fury filling her and amplifying her voice. “Do you hear me,  _ you won’t get away with this! _ ”

The man turned his head around, finding Baekhye in the crowd, regarding her with cold, calculating eyes. Seemingly not finding her worth the bother, he turned forwards once more, before urging his horse into a canter that quickly carried him and Kyungeun away, followed by several riders as some soldiers stayed back to control the crowd, to make sure no one followed.

And nobody followed, nobody  _ could _ follow. At least not yet, Baekhye thought as she finally broke down completely in Chanyeol’s arms.

Kyungeun cried and screamed until her throat grew sore and her limbs grew heavy. And when her voice began to disappear, she put more effort into trying to writhe her way out of the embrace she was trapped in, just wanting to let go. She did not even care that the fall from the rather high horse might result in a broken bone or two - she just wanted to be free.

But the man holding on to her seemed to have grown tired of her antics, and after a while he pulled his horse to a stop to be able to backhand Kyungeun over her cheek, sending her body snapping to the side before being brought back to be held firmly against a chest.

“Do you want us to return? Slaughter your family for your disobedience? Burn down your village?” the man hissed, fury searing through Kyungeun and leaving nothing but black, tainted fear inside of her.

“N-no,” Kyungeun managed to get past dry lips, the stuttered word barely more than a whisper, as tears began to fill her eyes.

“Then I suggest you keep quiet and still,” the man said, before once more urging his horse on, and Kyungeun did as told.

She could not risk her family and friends like that… She simply could not.

Exhaustion had almost managed to force Kyungeun to succumb to the sweet escape of sleep by the time she noticed them getting closer to a larger city. It was late night by now, the moon hanging heavy amongst the stars in the sky, so barely any people were out and about as they rode down dim streets, but Kyungeun did not need them to know where she had been taken.

And when they approached the castle, her fears doubled in size until they seemed to choke her.

As soon as they came to a stop in the courtyard and the servants bowed around them, Kyungeun knew who her captor was. She had never actually seen him before, but it was not hard to connect the pieces.

Her kidnapper was none other than Prince Jongin Ursus, youngest son of the Ursidae family.

Breath growing shallow and head starting to spin at the realization and the implications and  _ ramifications _ of this, Kyungeun had no chance to catch herself as she was carelessly pushed into the waiting arms of a servant, legs useless once back on the ground and having her collapse into the dirt beneath her. The prince barely spared her a glance before much more elegantly getting off of his horse and starting to walk away, leaving Kyungeun behind.

“Lock her into the tower.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

And with that, Kyungeun was dragged through grand halls and corridors, until finally being locked away at the top of one of the towers decorating the large castle. No matter how many hours she spent screaming and crying and beating her tiny fists against the wooden door, no one heard her, no one came to save her. And when the sun rose once more, blanketing Kyungeun’s trembling body in soft warmth, she gave up on being rescued. She would not rely on anyone else - she only had herself now.

It was up to herself to save herself, in whatever way she could, and she would  _ never _ willingly become the prize of someone else. She would do everything in her power to escape her prison and return to her home.

Kyungeun wrapped herself in black, mourning everything she had lost, and not a single glimpse of her heart-shaped smile was seen after that fateful day.

  
  


˚̩͙⚛ ͙*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛ ͙*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛ ͙*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛ ͙*̩̩̥

  
  


After the kidnapping of Kyungeun, Baekhye was taught many things - including the reason for Kyungeun’s kidnapping.

“You know that the Ursidae have ruled our lands for a long time now, Rosie, and the kidnapping of a bride for the princes has been a tradition for almost as long,” Chanyeol told her, sadness tainting his voice. “If one of them finds someone pretty enough, they’ll steal her away, and nothing can be done. Rebellions have been started over this a few times, but the royal family’s army is too strong, and the rest of the people too scared. In many things, the Ursidae family is just, and so many think that the sacrifice of a woman every now and then is within their rights…”

Baekhye could not help but bristle at that. It was within the royal family’s right to kidnap a woman, a  _ little girl _ , to snatch her away from her family, from everything she knew, only because they were fair rulers?

“I have connections, within the castle walls,” Chanyeol told her. “Friends and allies who agree that this barbarous practice should be abolished, and who knows where more disgruntled whispers are coming from. They will help us.”

Looking down at the sword lying across her lap, Baekhye absent-mindedly dragged three fingertips down the cool blade. She was still unused to it, just having started to learn how to handle it, but she was doing the utmost to become familiar with it as soon as possible. She needed to become familiar with it, until it became like an extension of herself.

“We’re going to make sure that Kyungeun will be the last one kidnapped like this, Chanyeol,” Baekhye said as she looked up at Chanyeol again, steely resolution filling her voice. “We’re going to save her, and we’re going to make sure that the royal family never again believes themselves to have this right.”

And that same steely resolution filled Chanyeol’s eyes as he locked gazes with Baekhye and nodded.

Kyungeun would be the last one. They would make sure of that.

  
  


˚̩͙⚛ ͙*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛ ͙*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛ ͙*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛ ͙*̩̩̥

  
  


It was a sorrowful day.

Today, Kyungeun finally turned eighteen, and the day she had spent the last four years dreading had arrived - her  _ wedding day. _

From the moment the sun rose above the horizon, setting the frost covering the ground ablaze, Kyungeun was forced to suffer through various beauty treatments. And since her maidens were exchanged so often, probably to not let her create any bonds and cultivate sympathy, none of them cared enough to be gentle with her.

Well, no pain, no gain was what they said, after all…

Finally, as the sun neared its highest point in the sky, Kyungeun was deemed ready to meet the crowds and attend the wedding. And as the maidens left her for a few short minutes, Kyungeun hurried to her bed to pull out her most prized possession.

It had been her only companion throughout the dark days and darker nights, her only comfort in the darkness. And today, it might finally serve the purpose she hoped it would, and fulfill her wish of escaping this horrible nightmare one way or the other.

Sliding her thumb down the blade of the dagger her older brother had given her oh so long ago, Kyungeun allowed herself to appreciate the beautiful piece of work, before quickly sliding it up inside of her sleeve to keep it hidden. As she had almost finished, there was a knock on the door, and startled, Kyungeun hissed as she felt the tip of the blade nick her arm.

“My lady, it’s time to go,” one of the maidens called out before entering, giving Kyungeun  _ just _ enough time to check to make sure that whatever blood there might be was not visible through the fabric of the sleeve.

Then, taking a deep breath and trying to prepare herself for whatever might come, whatever the outcome of today might be, Kyungeun turned and moved over towards the door where her  _ entourage _ was waiting for her. More like her prison guards…

Kyungeun had not stepped foot outside of her tower during the four years she had spent in captivation, so she had not seen the rest of the castle since she had been dragged through it to be thrown into her gilded cage. She could not deny that it was a beautiful building, even if each and every little corner seemed to brim with loneliness and pain. The Ursidae family may be tyrannical leaders, but they were tasteful in the displaying of their wealth, Kyungeun had to give them that.

And she could not help but wonder what it looked like on a normal day, when not decorated for the holy ceremony about to take place… Would she ever find out?

Kyungeun sincerely hoped not.

Soon, they were headed outside, and Kyungeun blinked in the bright sunlight, having to squint to be able to see the large building they were headed towards. The cathedral, where her fate would be sealed one way or the other. The cathedral, where her supposed  _ husband-to-be _ was waiting for her.

She felt like throwing up, a light sheen of sweat layering itself over her skin, as she was just barely able to hold back from running away. She knew she would not get far, anyway, and she still had a few tricks up her sleeve. Quite literally.

They stopped in front of the grand doors for what seemed like half an eternity, yet no more than a second. Kyungeun could hear the chatter of people inside, before it was being silenced, and she knew it was in preparation of  _ her _ entrance.

And, sure enough, as soon as complete silence seemed to have been achieved, the doors opened for Kyungeun to step inside, still flanked by her prison guards. Taking a deep, shaky breath, Kyungeun fisted her hands to keep them from trembling as she began to walk, keeping her back straight and her gaze on the altar. She did not want to see the audience to her doom, did not want to see whatever feeling they were expressing. She had enough of her own.

When Kyungeun reached the three steps leading up to the altar, she found Prince Jongin waiting for her, one hand held out for her to help guide her up the stairs. Feeling petty and not needing the help, Kyungeun ignored him, seeing out of the corner of her eye how the prince turned his hand into a fist and let it drop to his side as his jaw clenched, stepping up beside her to the priest.

Kyungeun suspected that the priest knew exactly what was going on, especially considering the way he seemed to avoid to look at Kyungeun for too long. And in a way she felt betrayed - would God commend this forced marriage? Did He, who taught only love, accept a man thinking himself above everyone else and having the right to take what did not belong to him? Kyungeun could not harmonize those two things with each other, and was more than convinced that the prince would face punishment for what he was doing.

May Prince Jongin rot in hell alongside all other sinners whenever his time came - preferably now.

Sliding the knife out of her sleeve, Kyungeun grabbed the hilt and moved forwards to plunge the blade into Prince Jongin. Unfortunately, he managed to twist away enough for it to only graze his arm, quickly reaching out to grab Kyungeun by the hand and wrench the knife out of her grip.

With a pained cry, Kyungeun was forced to let go of her one and only escape, hearing it clank against the floor. Gritting her teeth to keep the gathering tears from falling, Kyungeun stared straight into the prince’s eyes, putting all of her hatred and disgust into her gaze.

She could hear the murmurs behind and around her, but she did not care. She knew it did not matter anyway, no one would come to her rescue, no one would speak up for her sake. She was but a puppet, subjected to the whims of the royals, just like everyone else inside of the bright cathedral.

“Did you really think you’d be able to kill me?” Prince Jongin asked, disbelief coloring his voice as he released Kyungeun to check on his arm. He was wearing darkly colored robes, but it was with immense satisfaction that Kyungeun noted that she could see the fabric turning darker and wetter.

“I would rather try and fail a thousand times than willingly marry you!” Kyungeun spit out, and immediately, Prince Jongin turned to her, eyes black and lethal.

“You won’t escape me that easily,” the prince hissed, before looking up at the priest. “Continue the ceremony!”

Looking rather uncertain and hesitant, uncomfortable, the priest still nodded, and Kyungeun’s hope began to diminish into nothingness.

She had not succeeded in taking the prince’s life, and in losing the knife she had lost her only way out of her own life as well. Kyungeun was now completely and utterly stuck in her own wedding, with no way of getting out.

Vines entangling her lungs and restraining her breathing, Kyungeun focused her gaze on the large and incredibly beautiful stained glass rose window behind the altar. All of the colors started to blur together as tears began to fill Kyungeun’s eyes, leaving behind only general shades of red and purple.

_ Oh, how she missed Baekhye… Missed her smile, her laugh, her warmth, her everything… _

And Kyungeun could not help but wonder, as she stared at the red and purple rose window and let the rest of the world cease to exist, what Baekhye was currently doing. How was she living? Had she tried to come for Kyungeun, or had she settled down with someone? Did she know that Kyungeun was in the middle of getting married to a tyrant? Did she even care?

Of course she cared, they had been too close for Baekhye to  _ not _ care… They had been inseparable, and a familiar voice inside of Kyungeun whispered to her and told her that Baekhye would never be able to stop caring, stop searching.

_ But why had she not found Kyungeun yet? _

The most obvious answer to that question was too painful to even contemplate, so Kyungeun quickly pushed that away, and instead allowed her mind to sink deeper into her memories. Memories of them as children, always next to each other, always off on an adventure or another…

What did Baekhye look like now? four years had gone past, they were both entering adulthood, and Kyungeun knew that she herself had changed quite the bit since that day that she had been stolen away. Would Baekhye be able to recognize her? Would Kyungeun be able to recognize Baekhye? Had Kyungeun not been locked up in a tower she would have seriously considered maybe having gotten glimpses of Baekhye without knowing, but as it was she knew it was an impossibility.

A hand wrapped itself around Kyungeun’s wrist, and she gasped as painful pressure pulled her right back to the present.

“Pay attention!” Prince Jongin hissed, and Kyungeun shot him a glare before looking the other way.

One day… One day, she would bathe in his blood, drain him completely and soak in his life essence. That was a promise made by Kyungeun with God as her witness,  _ one day. _

The priest was still rambling, but he seemed to be racing towards the vows, and Kyungeun wished for time to stop. This was not right, this whole ceremony was but a ridiculous charade, tainting everything that a union between two people stood for! It should not be forced, no matter who the groom happened to be!  _ It was not right! _

But it was happening, and Kyungeun’s time was quickly running out as her heart sank in her chest.

"If anyone can show just cause why this couple cannot lawfully be joined together in matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace-”

“I object!”

The whole world seemed to come to a halt at the sudden exclamation, Kyungeun freezing in utter disbelief.

No, that could not be…

Heart beating all too fast inside of her suddenly so small ribcage, Kyungeun slowly turned around, ignoring all of the gasps and offended outcries and hurried movements. She knew that voice, without a doubt, but it was impossible…

Impossibilities were apparently possible, because as Kyungeun finally faced the intruder, she realized that yes, it could be, and it  _ was. _

Standing tall in the middle of the aisle was a woman, someone four years older than the girl Kyungeun remembered, all grown up but still so  _ incredibly _ familiar. Standing tall in the middle of the aisle in an obvious display of rebellious disobedience, pure defiance, was  _ Baekhye. _

  
  


˚̩͙⚛ ͙*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛ ͙*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛ ͙*̩̩̥˚̩͙⚛ ͙*̩̩̥

  
  


It had been hard, finally arriving at her destination but having to stay hidden. Baekhye had barely even managed, being  _ so _ close to Kyungeun, but unable to get close  _ enough. _ Because Kyungeun was heavily guarded, and it was more than obvious that the best shot they had at freeing her would be during the wedding. She would be out in the cathedral, the guards not as close by, and with many people around to take advantage of.

Chaos would be most probable when Baekhye finally revealed herself, and hopefully they could use it to help them.

Noise began to fill the large space as Baekhye came to a stop in the middle of the aisle and called out her objection, rising to ear-piercing levels, but Baekhye only had eyes for one person, someone who held her entire attention.

It had been four years since last they had seen each other, and Baekhye had for sure changed, but she was almost surprised to find out that  _ Kyungeun _ had changed as well. It really was not so strange, they were both adults by now, but Baekhye had clung to the image of the fourteen year old girl inside of her head for so long now that she could barely believe it.

And from the look filled with disbelief in Kyungeun’s eyes, she seemed to battle similar difficulties.

“What is this? Who do you think you are?!” suddenly echoed through the large building, bringing Baekhye back to the present and the situation at hand.

Anger starting to simmer in her blood again, Baekhye’s eyebrows pulled together into a frown as she turned her gaze towards the man that had haunted her nightmares for so long.

_ Prince Jongin. _

“ _ You! _ ” Prince Jongin exclaimed, and Baekhye recognized those eyes.

Those were the same eyes that had regarded her and dismissed her as a threat four years ago.

“Yes,  _ me _ ,” Baekhye called out, sliding her sword out of its sheet as she started to move towards the altar, determination in each and every step. “I told you you wouldn’t get away with it, and here I am to extract my revenge!”

With a loud yell, Baekhye sprinted the last distance before she attacked, the prince barely having the time to free his own sword to be able to parry. And Baekhye did not give him the time to catch his breath before she attacked again, fueled by white-hot fury.

She knew that around her, skirmishes were breaking out, keeping the guards occupied to not interfere with Baekhye’s fight, but she could not focus on that. All she could see was Prince Jongin, all she could feel was vengeance, all she could hear were the grunts and hisses as they collided, over and over again. Baekhye knew that the prince was more skilled than her, had had longer to practice, but she was rather sure that she made up for it in determination and motivation. Prince Jongin relied on his skill and wanting to survive - Baekhye had so much more on the line.

It was not only her own life, but Kyungeun’s too, as well as a whole rebellion. She was not on a lone mission to save Kyungeun, but to save every single following woman that might have fallen prey to this horrible practice in the future, and avenging every single woman who had become a victim in the past. There was so much more weighing on Baekhye’s shoulders, and she truly believed that this would lead to her victory.

A victory that suddenly seemed to morph into a failure, as Prince Jongin stumbled back after an attack, and realized that he was suddenly very close to Kyungeun. Glancing over towards Baekhye, the prince reached out towards his bride, grabbing her before Kyungeun managed to move away and holding her close as he laid his blade against her throat, and suddenly it felt as if said blade was pressing against Baekhye’s own throat, fear quickly filling her.

No… This was not supposed to happen!

“Stay away!” the prince roared, having Kyungeun cry out as he shook her, and Baekhye could see a faint trace of red start down the side of her throat. “Stay away, or she dies!”

“I’ll plunge this sword into your chest before you even have the chance to slit her throat,  _ cousin. _ ”

Even though Baekhye had known about Princess Seulgi and her involvement with the rescue, it still felt surreal to see the dolled up woman standing with the tip of her sword pressing into the back of Prince Jongin.

Shock coloring his features, the prince’s grip on Kyungeun slackened, and she did not seem to want to waste a single moment when she could be free. Pushing herself out of the unwanted embrace, she spun around and promptly kneed Prince Jongin between his legs. All of the air seemed to be forced out of the prince’s lungs as he sunk to ground, whimpering and suddenly looking both pale and nauseous.

“Well, I can’t say he didn’t deserve that, and you made my job much easier,” Seulgi mumbled as they all stared at the incapacitated prince, before she looked up at the two of them and waved a hand. “Go, hurry! Leave now before it’s too late!”

Bowing towards the princess, Baekhye grabbed Kyungeun’s hand and began to drag her along through the chaos of fleeing people and attacking guards. Thanks to Chanyeol’s allies within the guards, they made it out unscathed. And as soon as they rounded a corner, finding themselves in much calmer surroundings, Baekhye spun around to face Kyungeun and steal a moment or two, moments they did not really have but that Baekhye would give them anyway.

Cupping Kyungeun’s cheeks in her hands, Baekhye pulled her close, pressing their lips together and pouring all of her longing and hurting into the desperate kiss. A desperate kiss that turned sharp and aching when Kyungeun gave just as much back.

“I missed you, I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner,” Baekhye managed to gasp out as they separated for air, staying close, foreheads pressed together.

“It’s fine, you’re here now,” Kyungeun whispered, a wet snicker accompanying her words.

Pressing a quick, chaste kiss to Kyungeun’s lips, Baekhye nodded, before releasing her cheeks and once more grabbing her hand and leading her towards where they needed to go.

It was not long before they arrived at the previously agreed upon place, and Chanyeol came jogging around the corner just as they got there.

“Chanyeollie!” Kyungeun called out, throwing herself into Chanyeol’s arms and bursting out into tears.

“Kyungeunnie, sweet Nivali, I’m so happy to see you again,” Chanyeol whispered as he spun around with Kyungeun, a large grin on his face. “ _ So _ , so happy!”

“This is all very lovely, but we need to go!” Baekhye exclaimed, nervously looking around as she interrupted the reunion. They might have survived the wedding, but they were not safe yet.

Putting Kyungeun back on the ground and pressing a kiss to her forehead, Chanyeol nodded before leading the way over to the horses they had acquired for their escape. As quickly as she could, Baekhye climbed into the saddle, and as soon as she was seated properly, she and Chanyeol helped Kyungeun to get onto the horse’s back, behind Baekhye.

But just as Chanyeol reached for his own horse, an arrow came sailing through the air, having him rear back. Gasping, Baekhye turned in the direction of where the arrow had come from, seeing guards running towards them.

“Chanyeol, hurry!” Baekhye yelled, breathing picking up as panic began to take over. They were so close,  _ so close _ to getting out of there…

Even before Chanyeol turned back to them, Baekhye knew that something was wrong. She could see it, clear as day, in his posture, and she  _ hated _ it.

“Little Rosie, I know you’re more than capable to take care of the both of you,” Chanyeol whispered as he placed a hand on Baekhye’s thigh, a sad smile on his lips. “You need to go, and make sure to live long and happy lives, okay? Take care of each other, and  _ be happy! _ ”

“No, Chanyeol, please-” Baekhye pleaded, but he had already turned away to face the guards, getting further and further away from them.

Yelling in frustration, Baekhye did the only thing she could - she turned the horse around and urged it on, heading towards the street leading out of the city, heading towards  _ freedom. _

And when she heard the obvious sounds of fighting, Baekhye closed her eyes for a moment and forced the tears away. She could not cry now, not yet. They still had a long way to go…

Baekhye rode the horse as hard as she dared, not slowing down until she was somewhat certain they were safe. After all, chaos was most probably reigning in the castle still

Kyungeun’s tears had dried by the time Baekhye deemed it safe enough, but the exhaustion was clear in the way she was leaning against Baekhye. And Baekhye wished she could have stopped completely, allowed Kyungeun to rest, but they still needed to continue for a bit more.

“Where are we going?” Kyungeun silently asked, arms tightening around Baekhye’s waist. “We can’t go back to the village…”

Placing a hand on top of Kyungeun’s, Baekhye gave them a light squeeze, hopefully offering some comfort.

“We’ll go wherever we want, just let the stream take us wherever it might lead us,” Baekhye whispered as she looked towards the horizon and the setting sun. “Let’s ride into the sunset and see where we end up, hm?”

The soft kiss Kyungeun pressed against Baekhye’s neck was enough of an answer, and so they rode into the sunset and their happily ever after.

_ ~The End~ _

**Author's Note:**

> Did anyone else cry when Chanyeol decided to turn around and face the guards? Because I did, for some reason, so I'm here handing out tissues and hugs for whoever needs it, just gather 'round


End file.
